The Houston Chronicle has been keeping up with the Enron Case, even as the rest of the corporate media wallowed in the Michael Jackson and Scott Peterson sensationalism. 2005 could be an interesting year as the Bush Administration nominates Alberto Gonzales, who billed Enron for legal work as late as 1994, to be Attorney General. Below the fold are some snips from the Chronicle's coverage of the case, beginning with the note that Gonzales "may want to recuse himself from the Enron Prosecution."
If ever a case clearly demonstrates that the Republican Party is NOT the party of real moral values, this is it, and the 'train is about to reach the station in 2005.' Is it any wonder that the Bush administration is pounding it's controversial "reform" of Social Security at the moment? Or, creating other diversions?
Chronicle
Alberto Gonzales may want to recuse himself from the Enron Prosecution
Gonzales did legal work for Enron in the early 1990s, while in private practice at Vinson & Elkins in Houston, which did a lot of legal work for the energy giant.
Gonzales helped Enron set up EOTT Energy Partners, a master limited partnership involved in gathering, transporting and trading crude oil, refined products and natural gas liquids.
His last billing for Enron-related work was in May 1994, noted Henry Reasoner, a partner with the firm. Enron collapsed seven years later.
Gonzales left Vinson & Elkins the following year to become then-Texas Gov. Bush's general counsel. He would later go on to serve as secretary of state and then as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court.
While serving on the bench, Gonzales received a $6,000 campaign contribution from Enron's now defunct political action committee, as well as $500 from an Enron employee, according to campaign records tracked by Austin-based Texans for Public Justice.
.....White House officials refused to say whether Gonzales likely would recuse himself. An administration spokeswoman said all such questions will have to wait until Gonzales' nomination hearing.
Chronicle 2
Prosecutors clearly don't think former Enron chieftains Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling were in it alone. Under seal, the government has named 114 unindicted co-conspirators in their criminal case.
Chronicle 3
The trial of five former members of Enron's Internet division is set to start April 1 and could last three to four months, while the trial of ex-chieftans Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling will likely take longer and is expected to be scheduled for 2005 as well.
The defense is decrying the amount of power and authority given to the Enron Task force, and we can probably expect more legal wrangling and delays in the case. But, the good news is that the task force is lining up more indictments than the previous record setter Governor Edwards of Louisiana, and that the trial dates are set for 2005.
Second terms have not been easy for recent presidents, and Bush may now have to face the refrain of music from the past. Those who are interested in REAL corporate/government reform should keep pressing the corporate media with questions about the progress of these cases. If nothing else, these cases are living proof of the connection of this administration to the most despicable corporation corruption imaginable, and we shouldn't miss the opportunity to point this out to the Red Staters who voted for "American Values" in 2004.